Environmentally friendly cosmetic container

ABSTRACT

A cosmetic container includes a sleeve made of a first material and a lining made of a second material. The sleeve includes a cutout at an edge, an aperture, and a miniature bar between the aperture and the cutout. The lining includes a stopping block, a guiding block, and a gap between the stopping block and the guiding block. The width of the gap is larger than the width of the miniature bar. The stopping block is inserted in the cutout, the guiding block is inserted in the aperture, and the miniature bar is inserted in the gap when the lining is inserted in the sleeve.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a cosmetic container and, moreparticularly, to an environmentally friendly cosmetic container.

2. Related Prior Art

A conventional container for a lipstick includes a cap and a handleassembly. The handle assembly includes a handle, a cylinder, and aguiding module. The cylinder includes a first section formed with arectilinear slot and a second section fitted in the handle. The guidingmodule includes a sleeve and a lining. The lining includes a helicalslot. The lining is inserted in the sleeve. The second section of thecylinder is inserted in the sleeve so that they are rotatable relativeto each other. A section of the rectilinear slot is in communicationwith a section of the helical slot of the lining. A lower section of alipstick is inserted in a cup that includes a boss extending from anexternal face. The cup is inserted in the second section of thecylinder. The boss is movably inserted in the helical slot and therectilinear slot. Thus, the cup is translatable along but not rotatablerelative to the cylinder. Moreover, the cup is translated relative tothe lining when the cup and the cylinder are rotated relative to thelining. Accordingly, an upper section of the lipstick is extended fromor into the guiding module. The cooperation of the guiding module withthe cup enables extension of the lipstick into or from the cylinder. Thelining is made of a plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate(“PET” or “PETE”) for easy making of the helical slot, and the sleeve ismade of metal for adequate strength. Adhesive is provided between thesleeve and the lining to keep the lining in the sleeve. However, the useof the adhesive renders it extremely difficult, if not impossible, todetach the sleeve from the lining. Hence, it is it extremely difficultif not impossible to recycle the sleeve and the lining separately. Thisis bad for the protection of the environment.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide anenvironmentally friendly cosmetic container that includes a sleeve madeof a first material and a lining made of a second material.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the sleeve includes a cutout at anedge, an aperture, and a miniature bar between the aperture and thecutout. The lining includes a stopping block, a guiding block, and a gapbetween the stopping block and the guiding block. The width of the gapis larger than the width of the miniature bar. The stopping block isinserted in the cutout, the guiding block is inserted in the aperture,and the miniature bar is inserted in the gap when the lining is insertedin the sleeve.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of thepreferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cosmetic container according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cylinder and a guiding module of thecosmetic container shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the guiding module shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of the cylinder and the guiding module shownin FIG. 2 ; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the cylinder and the guidingmodule shown in FIG. 4 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3 , a cosmetic container 10 includes a cap12 and a handle assembly 14 according to the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. The handle assembly 14 includes a handle 22, acylinder 30 and a guiding module 40. When the cosmetic container 10 isclosed as shown in FIG. 1 , only the cap 12 and the handle 22 arevisible.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the cylinder 30 includes two sections 32 and 34.Preferably, the diameter of the section 32 is larger than the diameterof the section 34. Moreover, the length of the section 32 is smallerthan the length of the section 34. The section 34 includes a rectilinearslot 36. The section 32 is fitted in the handle 22.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the guiding module 40 includes a sleeve 41 and alining 42. The lining 42 includes a helical slot 44. The lining 42 isinserted in the sleeve 41.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the section 32 of the cylinder 30 is inserted inthe sleeve 41 so that they are rotatable relative to each other. Asection of the rectilinear slot 36 is in communication with a section ofthe helical slot 44.

A lower section of a lipstick 16 is inserted in a cup 50 that includes aboss (not shown) extending from an external face. The cup 50 is insertedin the section 34 of the cylinder 30. The boss of the cup 50 is movablyinserted in the helical slot 44 and the rectilinear slot 36. Thus, thecup 50 is translatable along but not rotatable relative to the cylinder30. Moreover, the cup 50 is translated relative to the lining 42 whenthe cup 50 and the cylinder 30 are rotated relative to the lining 42.Accordingly, an upper section of the lipstick 16 is extended from orinto the guiding module 40. The cooperation of the guiding module 40with the cup 50 enables extension of the lipstick 16 into or from thecylinder 30. The cap 12 is operable to cover the sleeve 41 and hence thelipstick 16.

It should be noted that the lining 42 is made of a material such asplastics for easy making of the helical slot 44, and the sleeve 41 ismade of another material such as metal for adequate strength. Anexternal diameter of the lining 42 is properly smaller than an internaldiameter of the sleeve 41 to render it easy to detach the lining 42 fromthe sleeve 41 so that they can be recycled separately. This is good forthe protection of the environment. Yet, there is a need for a mechanismto keep the lining 42 in the sleeve 41 when the cosmetic container 10 isin use. The mechanism will be described latter.

The sleeve 41 includes an inward flange 46 extending around an opening(not numbered) in an upper end and an opening 47 in a lower end. Aninternal diameter of the inward flange 46 is smaller than the diameterof the opening 47.

The sleeve 41 includes a cutout 64 in a lower edge and an aperture 66 ina lower section. The cutout 64 is located properly below the aperture66. The aperture 66 is separated from the cutout 64 by a miniature bar65.

The lining 42 is formed with a shoulder 48 adjacent to an upper end, astopping block 60 at a lower end, and a guiding block 62 adjacent to thelower end. The stopping block 60 is located below the guiding block 62.The stopping block 60 is separated from the guiding block 62 by a gap61. The width (or “breadth”) of gap 61 is larger than the width (or“breadth”) of the miniature bar 65. The guiding block 62 is formed witha slope 63 at an upper (or “leading”) end.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , during insertion of the lining 42 into thesleeve 41 via the opening 47 (FIG. 3 ), the slope 63 allows the guidingblock 62 to slide beneath and past the miniature bar 65. Thus, theminiature bar 65 is inserted in the gap 61 between the stopping block 60and the guiding block 62. The miniature bar 65 is restrained between thestopping block 60 and the guiding block 62, thereby retaining the lining42 in the sleeve 41.

The stopping block 60 abuts against the miniature bar 65 to prevent thesleeve 41 from downward movement relative to the lining 42. The guidingblock 62 abuts against the miniature bar 65 to prevent the sleeve 41from upward movement relative to the lining 42. The stopping block 60abuts against two edges of the cutout 64 and the guiding block 62 abutsagainst two edges of the aperture 66 to prevent the sleeve 41 fromrotation relative to the lining 42. The inward flange 46 is locatedagainst the shoulder 48.

In another embodiment, the sleeve 41 is not formed with the aperture 66and the miniature bar 65. Accordingly, the lining 42 is not formed withthe guiding block 62. The sleeve 41 only includes the cutout 64 toreceive the stopping block 60 of the lining 42 to prevent rotation ofthe sleeve 41 relative to the lining 42.

In another embodiment, the sleeve 41 is not formed with the cutout 64,and the lining 42 is not formed with the stopping block 60 accordingly.That is, the sleeve 41 includes only the aperture 66 and the guidingblock 62, and the lining 42 includes only the guiding block 62.

The present invention has been described via the illustration of thepreferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variationsfrom the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limitthe scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

1. A cosmetic container comprising: a sleeve made of a first material and formed with a cutout at an edge, an aperture, and a miniature bar between the aperture and the cutout; and a lining made of a second material and formed with a stopping block, a guiding block, and a gap between the stopping block and the guiding block, wherein width of the gap is larger than width of the miniature bar; wherein the stopping block is inserted in the cutout, the guiding block is inserted in the aperture, and the miniature bar is inserted in the gap when the lining is inserted in the sleeve.
 2. The cosmetic container according to claim 1, wherein the guiding block comprises a slope, and wherein the slope allows the guiding block to move beneath and past the miniature bar during the insertion of the lining into the sleeve.
 3. A cosmetic container comprising: a sleeve comprising a cutout at an edge; and a lining comprising a stopping block inserted in the cutout when the lining is inserted in the sleeve, thereby preventing rotation of the sleeve relative to the lining.
 4. A cosmetic container comprising: a sleeve made of a first material and formed an aperture and a miniature bar below the aperture; and a lining made of a second material and formed with a guiding block; wherein the stopping block is inserted in the cutout, the guiding block is inserted in the aperture when the lining is inserted in the sleeve.
 5. The cosmetic container according to claim 4, wherein the guiding block comprises a slope, and wherein the slope allows the guiding block to move beneath and past the miniature bar during the insertion of the lining into the sleeve. 